Home (It's Not Far, Just Close By)
by Aussiegirl41
Summary: Bill gives Laura several reasons why she should move into his quarters.


**Yes, I've realised I *still* have more BSG A/R fics I haven't yet posted!**

 **Set during He That Believeth in Me. Somewhere in between Kara returning and Lee asking his father if Laura was still staying in his quarters.**

Laura stood as the raptor's hatch lifted.

"Madam President."

She smiled to Bill as a greeting, allowing him to assist her down onto the deck. In one fluid movement he relieved her of her overnight bag, hooked it over his shoulder, and slipped a hand under her elbow, leading her from the docking bay.

"I didn't realise you knew I was coming aboard," she remarked.

"Tory informed me that you didn't eat before you caught the shuttle. I took the liberty of ordering us dinner."

"You're not fussing, are you Bill?" she teased.

"I'm allowed. You are still the President of the Twelve Colonies, are you not? It's my duty as Admiral of the Colonial Fleet to tend to your needs."

She snorted. "I'm not sure that includes feeding me."

They walked in companionable silence the rest of the way, occasionally glancing across at each other and smiling.

He placed her bag on his back table and offered her a drink after they arrived at his quarters.

"Just water, thanks." She sunk down into his couch. "I don't think Cottle would be pleased if I turned up tomorrow with alcohol in my system."

After he poured the water, he came and sat down beside her.

"Been a difficult few days," he murmured, taking her hand in his before continuing, "with one thing or another."

"Yes," she agreed. She felt that they had been at loggerheads for days now. Just when she thought they had settled their differences, fate threw something else at them – detection of cancerous growths, not-guilty verdicts, daughters who mysteriously reappeared. "We're still on the same side, though," she said.

"Always, Laura. Always."

She gazed into his beautiful eyes. Just as he leaned across to whisper a light kiss on her lips, someone tapped on the hatch.

"Saved by the bell or, in this case, dinner," he said.

She tried to sit calmly and watch as Bill spoke to the soldier delivering their food. She thanked the Gods once again for giving her Bill Adama. They had argued so much recently, but here he was, showering her with kindness and respect. She felt safe in the knowledge that whatever differences they may have, they would always come together in the end.

"Lieutenant Gaeta informed me about Tory's request for temporary accommodation," he commented as they sat down to eat.

"Has he had any luck?" she asked. "I really don't relish the thought of staying in sickbay, Bill."

"I know," he said, "but we're crowded at the moment."

"Yes. Hopefully, something will become available soon. I just can't relax in sickbay. The curtains…Gods, I hate those things, Bill. Every time I hear one drag across that metal bar, a chill runs down my spine. Then there're the other noises – the constant rattling of something or other that sets my teeth on edge."

"And you have yet to mention Major Cottle."

She snorted. "I was getting to the smell. The stench of smoke mingling with disinfectant – the overall effect is indescribable."

"I'll see what I can work out."

"Thanks," she said. Unfortunately, it seemed, she wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. If no rooms were available, she would need to stay in sickbay.

"Did you talk to Kara today?" she asked, broaching yet another uncomfortable subject.

"Yeah."

"And?"

"And I think she's Kara. I don't believe she's a Cylon. Simple as that."

"I don't think it's that simple, Bill, and you know it."

"Laura, I don't want to start fighting again."

She sighed. She didn't either. Not when she had been feeling so relaxed in his company. Not when he had just nearly kissed her. However, she was concerned that his love for Kara was blinding him to reality. "I can't afford for anything to happen to you, Bill. I'm not willing to allow Kara to hurt you," she said.

"She's not going to hurt me. She's completely loyal."

Laura wished she had his confidence.

"Boomer didn't know she was a Cylon. She was completely loyal to you right up until she shot you. Lieutenant Novacek wasn't a Cylon. He was completely loyal to you right up until he took to you with a pipe. What if he had got his hands on a gun, Bill? You probably wouldn't be sitting here now. And now you're willing to let Kara roam around _Galactica_ with the threat of the same thing happening again? I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable with that. I can't do this by myself, Bill. I need you."

He never answered. Instead he reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Would you like to read for a while before you turn in?" he asked.

Laura sighed and gave him a look, letting him know that she realised he was deliberately avoiding the subject.

"I'd love to read for a while." She rose and started to clean away the plates.

"Leave them," he ordered and guided her to the couch. "Any requests, Madam President?" he asked as he walked to his bookcase and tilted his head to study the titles.

"Anything. I'm easy, Admiral."

He turned his head to flash a wicked smile her way.

"I don't think for a minute you're easy, Madam President," he teased after returning to sit down beside her on the couch with his selection.

She snorted and reached for his hand, linking her fingers with his. "And I'm also not going to be so easily put off with regards to Kara next time, Admiral."

"I don't doubt it, Madam President."

He carefully opened the book and started reading. She leaned back into the couch and closed her eyes, remembering the first time they had started with this ritual.

It had become a long-running habit of theirs to dine, and then sit side by side on the couch and read – sometimes reports and Fleet-related work, sometimes a novel.

One night she had forgotten her glasses. Instead of returning to _Colonial One_ and abandoning their routine, Bill had opted to read aloud a chapter from the novel she had been enjoying at the time. He had added complexity to the plot and texture to the characters' voices. She had ended up lying on the couch, her feet in his lap, letting his voice wash over her, completely relaxed. From that day onwards, even when she was in possession of her glasses, he had read to her regularly.

She sighed, readily admitting to herself, but never him, that this custom also turned her on. The sound of his voice – gravelly, deep, rich, and oh so sensual - caused a slow burn between her thighs. She imagined him murmuring in her ear as he…

She stopped herself. She couldn't let her mind follow that forbidden path. They had tacitly agreed to abandon whatever it was they had started on New Caprica. They had responsibilities. They had…excuses. Tomorrow she would have a new one – Diloxin.

She shuddered with reaction to the thought of letting that poison permeate her system in some ultimately vain attempt to rid her of the cancer. She had not taken this route last time. Why was she now?

"Laura? Are you awake?"

She hummed. She knew why – him. She could tell herself it was for the Fleet, but that would be a lie. It was all for Bill.

The thought terrified her. She was willing to go to such lengths for a man? A man with whom she had never been intimate, besides a few stolen kisses? A man who had never told her she meant more to him than any other member of his crew? A man who wore a wedding ring from a dead woman?

"Maybe we'd better get you to bed. Considering tomorrow you have to…" he broke off, obviously reluctant to mention the Diloxin.

He stood, retrieved her bag, unzipped it, and started unpacking her clothes into the far right of one of his wardrobes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What's it look like I'm doing? Putting your clothes away."

"But Bill! I can't stay here."

"Why not?" he asked calmly, continuing with his task.

"Bill, you're the Admiral."

"I remember." He had gotten to the bottom of her bag - was now handling her underwear.

"Stop!"

He turned and faced her with a frown at the sound of her sharp order. Her eyes were swimming with tears.

"I can't stay here, Bill. You're the Admiral. I'm the President. The press, the Quorum - I can just hear them now."

"Laura, you are here for Diloxin treatments. I think even the press and the Quorum will be sympathetic on this score. You feel comfortable here, don't you? Isn't that the most important thing? That you get sufficient rest and relaxation between treatments?"

"I feel comfortable here," she conceded.

"You'll be sick. Quite sick. You need someone to keep an eye on you. Help you. Someone you trust."

"Bill, I can't ask you to do that."

"Who are you going to ask then, Laura?" he challenged her. He knew she had no one else. No one she trusted. No one she even particularly liked.

"And you and I?" She shook her head. "We fight – all the time. Not just about Kara. We couldn't possibly live together."

He took her shaking hand in his.

"Laura, what does our arguing have to do with living together?"

"What? Everything. I just wouldn't feel comfortable yelling at you one minute, then asking you to pass the toothpaste the next."

He threw his head back and laughed.

"When you're fighting," he said once he had composed himself, "your voice lowers and you say your words faster, with this very clipped tone. You remain articulate and clear and you don't usually need to yell. I know. You've been angry with me enough times."

"And afterwards?" she whispered.

"And afterwards?" he repeated. He shook his head. "Laura, we've worked together and been friends for a long time now. We've had arguments about everything and nothing. I thought we agreed before dinner that we'd always be on the same side before, during and after an argument. I don't understand why you think my attitude toward you will change and anything will be different just because we're sleeping in the same room."

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I've never lived with a man before," she whispered. Now she was at the crux of the problem. She was scared and vulnerable.

"I _have_ lived with a woman. It didn't turn out so great. I'm willing to give it another go, however." He kissed her again, not quite open-mouthed but firmer, with more purpose.

"I don't want to lose your friendship."

"You won't," he avowed. This time he went in for the kill. His tongue slid into her mouth, demanding a response. Desire flared through her body, and he gave a triumphant growl when her tongue tangled with his.

They finally parted and stared into each other's eyes, panting slightly. Her hands had moved to run through his hair – digging into and massaging his scalp. One of his hands slid downward to squeeze her buttock; the other burrowed under her blouse, skimming along her bare skin.

"Bill, I'm going to be sick. I won't be able to, um, do _anything_ soon."

"Laura. You think I can't share a room with someone without demanding sex?"

"No! Yes…I don't know. You don't exactly seem to be immune to my charms." The thumb of his left hand had slipped inside the cup of her bra to tease her nipple. Laura didn't want to admit that maybe she was the one who couldn't share a room with him without wanting sex.

"You start treatment tomorrow," he said.

"Yes."

"Tonight may be the only opportunity we get for quite a while."

She closed her eyes. "Yes."

Time stood still as she waited for him to make the next move. She was sure he was tormenting her with his patience.

Her heart began to beat stronger. Eventually, he put her out of her misery. She whimpered as his lips found hers once again. She immediately opened her mouth, allowing him to deepen their kiss. They parted with a gasp and once again simply held each other's gazes.

"Let me make love to you tonight," he said. It was an invitation, a question and a plea all at once.

"Yes."

He removed her clothing slowly, savouring the view as her body was gradually revealed to him. His own uniform followed, and then he eased her down, onto his rack. He hovered above her, continuing with his onslaught of heartbreakingly beautiful kisses - his tongue and mouth working together to calm her pounding heart, weaken her limbs and numb her brain.

She was completely and utterly relaxed when he parted her legs. One finger caressed her, swirling her wetness until he finally pressed down hard on her clit. He kept a firm, steady pressure on it until she bucked beneath him in both protest and pleasure. Then he flicked it faster and faster, his mouth capturing her moans as she writhed helplessly beneath him.

His finger slowed its tempo and instead started to press rough circles against her. She arched her back, losing contact with his mouth as she groaned loudly. His finger slid inside her, while his thumb moved to play with her clit. She lifted her hips and ground against his hand. She gasped, eagerly frakking his hand as he frakked her with it.

"It feels so good," she said in a deep voice that she hardly recognised as her own.

"Yeah."

"Bill!"

She froze and her whole body quivered. She had to slap his hand away as she came so hard that it hurt. He chuckled, cupping her ever so gently until she calmed.

When she opened her eyes, he was still above her, his intense gaze seemingly taking in every detail.

"Bill…" She panted, unable to speak coherently.

"Yeah."

"That was…"

"Just the first course."

She giggled.

"I'm looking forward to dessert. I've always had a sweet tooth." She reached out and stroked his now-hardened length. "I'm sorry, you may have to give me a minute," she said.

He chuckled. "Take your time. We've got all night."

"One night? Will that be enough?" She tried to keep her voice strong but it still wavered.

"No. Never. But I can't do this by myself, Laura. I need you." His words echoed hers from earlier.

She reached out and linked her fingers with his again.

"Why do you wear her ring?" she asked as she felt the cold metal touch her now too-warm skin. She felt like she had the right to ask now.

"It's not her ring. It's _mine_ ," he said. "I'd like you to…"

That was as far as she let him get. Having sex with him was one thing, accepting a ring was quite another. "Bill. I'm not ready for declarations."

"I know. But I want you to know that I am," he said sincerely.

"Bill, please…"

"I love you, Laura. I'll wait. As long as you need me to."

Tears sprung in her eyes. "Thank you," she said.

"And at least I've got you to move in with me - even if it is due to extenuating circumstances."

"Just until guest quarters become available," she insisted.

"Yes, of course, Madam President."

She giggled. "Now, about that next course, Admiral?"

"Yes, Madam President. Let me show you what I had in mind..."

The End


End file.
